31 Mei 2014

Type 041 submarine is a 3,600 tonnes conventional submarine with AIP powered technology. (photo : Soha)Experts have predicted that China is likely to increase the number of its type 041 conventional submarines to 60 or 70 over the next decade. The Japanese navy also plans to increase the number of its Soryu-class diesel-electric powered submarines from 16 to 22 in response to a perceived threat from China, reports our Chinese-language sister newspaper Want Daily.Soryu-class diesel-electric powered submarines are the latest model of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The vessel has a displacement of 2,000 tonnes and is equipped with an air-independent propulsion system. Japan will purchase another five of the submarine and will get delivery of one per year, increasing the total number of its Soryu-class submarines to ten.China is preparing to test its latest type-041 diesel-electric submarine in the water recently. The vessel is similar to Germany's new submarine and equipped with an extra sonar system. Its displacement is likely to reach 3,500 tonnes.US Pacific Command commander Samuel Locklear also said in March that China plans to increase the number of its type 041 conventional submarines to 60 or 70. The country has been building a nuclear-powered submarine that can carry JL-2 ballistic missiles. So far, the main carrier of the missiles has been the type-094 nuclear submarine, which China has four of.British military magazine Jane's Defense said the Chinese navy has at least four nuclear-powered submarines that can launch ballistic missiles and 53 slightly outdated diesel-electric submarines. US Lieutenant General Michael Flynn said in February that China's ballistic missile nuclear submarines have carried out missions regularly and been spotted in the Indian Ocean.(Want China Times)

Anzac 3600 tonne class frigates life-of-type currently expires in the mid-2020s (photo : Raul Moreno)THE notoriously long gestation period of a major military capability means considerable effort has already been directed at the so-called Future Frigate that will replace the RAN’s eight Anzac-class workhorses sometime in the next decade.Although the Sea 5000 program has yet to complete the ­requirements definition phase, there has been no shortage of ­debate on capability and construction issues within both Defence and industry — until recently.One-on-one discussions in Sydney last year between ­Defence’s Capability Development Group and major industry players were to have been followed by a strong Defence team visiting ship designers in Europe and possibly the US.However, that visit has been cancelled and industry informed that no further developments can be expected until after publication next year of the Defence white paper and its accompanying defence capability plan.According to the 2012 DCP, the eight Future Frigates first proposed in the 2009 Defence white paper will be larger than the 3600 tonne Anzacs and will be designed and equipped with an emphasis on anti-submarine warfare.

6000 tonne Type 26 Global Combat Ship frigate (image : BAE Systems)Collaboration at expert level is already under way with Britain on assessing the desirability of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigate, also known as the Global Combat Ship, as a Sea 5000 option. The Type 26 has been designed by BAE Systems with the potential to accommodate systems specific to the requirements of prospective international partners.Certainly the timing of Type 26 development fits in with Australian requirements: the first of class will enter service with the Royal Navy around 2021, while Anzac life-of-type currently expires in the mid-2020s.Another platform option is the FREMM European multi-role frigate under construction for the French and Italian navies. Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has been active in Canberra promoting the merits of the slightly larger (at 144m and 6500 tonnes) and more capable Italian variant — as well as stressing the company’s ability to provide replacements for the RAN’s Armidale-class patrol boats and replenishment ships.

Other platforms of potential interest include the 7200-tonne Blohm and Voss F125 currently under development for the German navy, the Meko 600 escort frigate, the Norwegian navy’s 4600-tonne F310 Fridtjof Nansen-class anti-submarine frigates (built in Spain by Navantia, designer of the RAN’s Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyers), and a possible development by Navantia of the Air Warfare Destroyer hull configured for ASW — an option understood to be gaining traction.

Fincantieri’s 6500 tonnes multi-mission frigate (photo : The Australian)Australian shipbuilder Austal has also flagged its interest, drawing on its expertise in the design and construction by its US subsidiary of aluminium-hulled trimaran multi-role Littoral Combat Ships for the US Navy.

“What the customer wants is a lot of ASW frigate that can carry two helicopters with two hangars, anti-air to cover some level of area defence to help protect high-value units, and a land-attack capability,” says a senior industry source.“For land attack they’re probably looking at TEAM (Tactical Land Attack Missile) and carrying 16 of them, so you end up with a hull in the region of 5000-6000 tonnes.“Defence would love to be able to point to an in-service option and say we’d just like to modify a couple of things on it. But it’s the traditional problem: off-the-shelf you don’t get the capability outcome, and something more speculative might not work.”

Navantia's 4600-tonne F310 Fridtjof Nansen-class anti-submarine frigates (photo : regjeringen)Commonality with other RAN major fleet units in systems such as gas turbines and weapons will be sought wherever possible to drive down through-life costs but this will not constrain studies into new and possibly more effective alternatives, says Commodore Robert Elliott, director general maritime development in the CDG.One example is government-funded development by Australian company CEA Technologies of a high-powered concept demonstrator variant of the innovative CEAPAR phased array radar being installed on the Anzac class as part of its anti-ship missile defence upgrade.But this too will face a series of assessments along the way to determine its maturity.“Mandated is a strong word ... the only way the government will choose CEAPAR2 for Future Frigate is if we provide sufficient evidence to confirm it fits the requirements,” Elliott notes.The process of determining the final choice for the Future Frigate involves an element of the chicken or the egg — what should be decided first, the platform or the systems it will eventually host?

7200-tonne Blohm and Voss F125 frigate (image : Arge F125)One source close to the program refers to the hull as simply the envelope that wraps around the combat system, the propulsion and the accommodation.“With Sea 5000, first you decide on what you want the ship to do, which will drive size. Then you decide on the combat system, the missiles, the radar, the underwater systems you’re going to fit, then you decide whether you’re going to do mechanical or electrical propulsion, then you decide on the number of crew and the standard of accommodation, and then you can work out the platform.”Elliott simply says government must be given choices, with the possibility of new capabilities being trialled on Anzacs before being seriously considered for Sea 5000.

The current schedule for Future Frigate calls for a number of studies that will provide sufficient information for Defence to seek first pass approval from government in late 2017 or early 2018, with second pass anticipated two to three years later.

5800 tonne Blohm and Voss Meko 600 escort frigate (image : TKMS)That would suggest construction starting around 2021-23, leaving two vital issues to be addressed — possible contention over resources with the Sea 1000 Future Submarine program, and the quality and quantity of those resources.The concerns of senior industry executives regarding the Future Frigate program centre not so much on trade skills as on a scarcity of upstream design and engineering activity.“Unless that void is filled somehow then we’re in for an extremely painful process of ships being assembled locally very expensively and very slowly. The AWD experience to date has not been great,” says one executive with broad international experience.“No shipyards I know of, trying to produce modern deep sea vessels, have not invested tens and tens of millions of dollars in cadcam systems, computer-aided design, electronic cutting of structures, and producing a virtual prototype before anyone picks up a welding torch. That doesn’t exist in Australia. I think we’ll have to go shopping for some partners and get them to commit to transferring that technology and knowledge so we can do it ourselves.”(The Australian)

T-84 Oplot-M MBT of the Royal Thai Army (photo : KienThuc)(Kienthuc.net.vn) - T-84 Oplot-M model is considered the most powerful main battle tanks in the Royal Thai Army.

3/2011 Thailand signed a contract with Ukraine great value buy 49 modern battle tank T-84-M Oplot. During the month of 2/2014, 5 the first Oplot-M was delivered to the Royal Thai Army. This number increased mainly for increased crew training Thailand.

Oplot-M T-84 is considered a form of modern tank top in the world today, was developed based on the T-80UD form of the Soviet Union.

The driver's seat T-84 Oplot-M.

Here is the seating position of gunner. On vehicles equipped with a series of support systems such as computational elements fired ballistic computers, these sensors provide high accuracy for tank gun in the first shot.

The chief seat of vehicles equipped with external viewfinder observed.

The display of the navigation system supports TIUS-NM.

T-84-M used Oplot autoloader systems should Vehicle crew just 3 people instead of 4. Shown is the space inside the turret T-84 Oplot-M.

Oplot-M is equipped with modern defense systems include: explosive reactive armor Nozh-2;proactive defense system Zaslon, interference optical system Varta. This allows the vehicle to deal effectively modern anti-tank weapons in the world.

DDG & FFG escort vessels for the Liaoning Carrier (photo : Jeffhead)The People's Liberation Army Navy will commission between three and four carrier battle groups over the next 15 years, reports the latest issue of Kanwa Defense Review, a military magazine run by Andrei Chang also known as Pinkov, a defense expert from Canada.Photos on the internet revealed new facilities and vehicles on the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier which is now undergoing maintenance at Dalian Shipyard. The magazine called this evidence that the PLA Navy has gained more experience in operating an aircraft carrier in the 18 months since the Liaoning was commissioned.China is also quicker at constructing large surface combat vessels than the United States, according to the magazine, which stated that China already has plans to build two domestic aircraft carriers after the Liaoning. Over the next 15 years, the PLA Navy may be able to maintain four carrier battle groups. For the US Navy, meanwhile, there is currently debate over whether it is necessary to keep 11 aircraft carriers in active service.Through gaining more diesel-electric submarines from Russia or producing them domestically, the PLA Navy possesses enough underwater threat to take on the United States Navy in any potential conflict, Kanwa said. All of the diesel-electric submarines are equipped with air-independent propulsion systems, which allow a non-nuclear submarine to operate without the need to access atmospheric oxygen and to stay underwater for a longer period of time.The nuclear strike capability of the PLA has increased dramatically with the DF-41 nuclear solid-fueled road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile and the JL-2 intercontinental-range submarine-launched ballistic missile in service, the magazine said.At the same time, China is producing more and more fourth-generation fighters such as the J-11B, the J-15, the J-16 and the J-10B. Kanwa Defense Review said that China has no intention of challenging US influence around the globe, however, it has enough air and naval forces to conduct an anti-access and area-denial strategy over the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.(WantChinaTimes)

30 Mei 2014

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is to acquire a 90 m vessel, built by Damen Shipyards, for naval aviation training.

Speaking to IHS Jane's at the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Asia Pacific 2014 conference on 17 March, Piet van Rooij, Damen's manager for Design and Proposal, Offshore and Transport, said that the vessel will be based on the company's OPV 2400 platform.

The full-functional vessel is expected to be used for training RAN aviators on rotary aircraft such as the MH-60R.

A contract with Australian company Defence Maritime Services, which will manage the acquisition for the RAN, is expected to be signed towards the end of March.

Russia-made helicopters of the Indonesian Army Aviation (photo : Kaskus Militer)BANGKOK./ITAR-TASS/. Indonesia, a country in Southeast Asia, plans to open a maintenance centre to service Russia-made helicopters. Four civil helicopters Mil Mi-171 were delivered to Indonesia in early May, the Russian embassy in that country told ITAR-TASS on Wednesday.Helicopters will be used by several Indonesian agencies and companies, including the National Agency of Emergency Situations. “Creation of a maintenance centre to service this type of Russian aircrafts is on agenda. Its delivery is planned to enlarge to Indonesia,” the Russian diplomatic mission noted.Meanwhile, supplies of one more type of Russian machinery began to Indonesia in early May. Four trucks KAMAZ were delivered to the country on the order from Indonesian company Tehnika Ina to pass certification. Certification of Russian vehicles is expected to be finalized in September.“Russia hopes for further successful implementation of joint projects with Indonesian partners on a broad range of trends, including construction of a road infrastructure, reprocessing of mineral resources, civil aviation and others,” the Russian embassy noted.(Itar Tass)

The sixth submarine are built at the Admiralty Shipyards, St. Petersburg (photo : Gelio)ST. PETERSBURG (RIA Novosti) – The final Kilo-class Project 636 diesel-electric submarine for the Vietnamese navy under a 2009 contract was laid down Wednesday in St. Petersburg, a defense industry source told RIA Novosti."Today, we had the ceremony of laying down the sixth submarine for Vietnam. This is the latest submarine in this series," the source said.Under the $2 billion contract, two submarines have already been delivered to Vietnam, the third is undergoing sea trials, a fourth was floated out in late March, and the fifth and sixth are now under construction."Two submarines have already been transferred to the Vietnamese Navy, the third is to be transferred this year and the remaining three in 2015-2016," according to the source.The vessels are built at the Admiralty Shipyards, a leading enterprise of the Russian shipbuilding industry and part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation. Its military products include warships, especially nuclear and diesel-powered submarines, and large auxiliary vessels.The $2 billion contract for the supply of six improved Kilo-class submarines to Vietnam was signed in 2009. The submarines will be armed with Club-S anti-ship missiles. The noise level of these submarines is considered the lowest among all Russian vessels.(RIA Novosti)

Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) (photo : BAE Systems)The Jindalee Operational Radar Network, provided by Joint Project 2025 Phase Five, has achieved Final Operational Capability (FOC) Defence Minister David Johnston said today.Senator Johnston said the successful delivery of JP 2025 Phase Five has improved JORN’s over-the-horizon-radar performance and its integration with the wider Defence command and control and intelligence networks.“The Jindalee Operational Radar Network contributes to Australia’s security environment by providing wide area surveillance of Australia’s northern approaches, Senator Johnston said.“Achieving Final Operational Capability means the system’s components are now fully operational and fully developed and they meet the final standards required by Defence to operate effectively.“FOC takes into account all elements required to sustain and operate a capability with the necessary support, maintenance, training, personnel and operational arrangements in place.”The enhancements to JORN under JP 2025 Phase Five have provided greater integration and connectivity between the JORN radar sites, its control systems and wider Defence command and surveillance networks.JORN consists of a network of three radar sites located at Longreach, QLD, Laverton, WA, and Alice Springs, NT, and is operated by 1 Radar Surveillance Unit (1RSU) located at RAAF Edinburgh, SA.The prime contractors for JP 2025 Phase Five were Lockheed Martin and British Aerospace Systems – Australia.(Aus DoD)

TT400TP number HQ-274 gun ship handover (photo : BaoDatViet)On the morning of 28/5, Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company held a gun ship handover TT400TP HQ274 number (the number 3) for Vietnam Navy.HQ-274 gun ship was the number 3 Hong Ha Shipbuilding Company completed, handed over to the Navy after 2 handed gun ship HQ-272 and HQ-273 before the Navy to ensure quality, schedule, consistent with the requirements set forth.Before organizing the ceremony, HQ-274 gun ship has undergone these tests as: Acceptance of Phase 1, the long road test, test coaching crew finished the 2 train ... period, and council level assessment test is required to achieve the design, quality, aesthetic as well as putting into operation and use.

TT400TP class ship cannon produced by Vietnam based on the preliminary design from foreign buyers. TT is an abbreviation of the word "patrol", also from TP stands for "gun boat".TT400TP class is automatically controlled gun ships on the sea with four tasks: destroy all amphibious ships and escort ships of the enemy; based protection and amphibious fleet escort fleet in the operation of forces and ships serving the scanning force mine; protecting civil ships at sea and tactical reconnaissance planes of the water.

The AGM-158A JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) is air-to-surface cruise missile with 450 kg warhead WDU-42/B penetrator and operational range 370 km (photo : Aus DoD)Minister for Defence, Senator David Johnston, today announced Final Operational Capability (FOC) had been achieved for Project AIR 5418, the AGM-158A Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile (JASSM).“The Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-Off Missile is now fully in service and is an extremely capable, long range missile that meets the future requirements of Air Force,” Senator Johnston said.“Successful JASSM integration forms a key piece of the strike capability and ensures that Air Force can meet future operational demands.”Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown AO, said the JASSM was designed to attack high-value, heavily defended targets such as hardened bunkers, or pinpoint objectives such as radar and communications sites.“This is a great achievement for Air Force and is a major milestone for our air combat capability,” Air Marshal Brown said.“This long range, highly accurate missile can be released far from enemy targets, keeping RAAF aircrew out of harm’s way without compromising mission objectives.”JASSM is a ‘military-off-the-shelf’ long range guided missile developed by the United States Air Force, with a 1000-pound penetrator/blast fragmentation conventional warhead, capable of precisely striking targets from over 300 kilometres away.The Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for JASSM was declared in 2011, following successful test firings at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia.(Aus DoD)

Artist's impression of F-35 in the RAAF colors (image : classicjetsims)Tindal RAAF base upgrade to F-35A readiness will benefit and cost Katherine, mayor saysA half-billion-dollar cash injection for the Tindal RAAF base in the Northern Territory over the next 10 years would provide a boost to the town of Katherine but overstretch the local council financially, according to mayor Fay Miller.The council had been negotiating a lease with the Australian Defence Force for the shared civilian part of the airport.However, Ms Miller said the widening and lengthening of the airstrip would make it too expensive for the council to maintain."We're a very small-rate-base community, and the community was being expected to pay an extraordinary amount of rates to keep the Tindal civilian side open," she said."And we have made that decision that we cannot afford to upgrade the residential passenger service."However, Ms Miller said, the base had played an important role in Katherine and the upgrade, including new runways, living quarters and aircraft hangers, would boost infrastructure development and jobs."Tindal has been a very important part of the community in the last 30 years, and during the war it was a wonderful base of the Top End," she said.She continued: "The potential for growth within [Katherine], in the next three to five years is quite extraordinary."Tindal's $470m upgrade timed for F-35A aircraftThe upgrade comes after the Federal Government announced last month it had approved funding for the next tranche of 58 F-35A aircraft and associated support equipment and facilities work, with a total budget of $12.4 billion.The approval included about $1.6 billion in facilities upgrade work to be conducted at locations around Australia, the majority of which is to be spent at Australia's two major RAAF fighter bases: Williamtown in New South Wales and Tindal.According to Air Vice-Marshal Kym Osley, Defence expected about $470 million to be spent on the facility upgrade at Tindal."In addition, some minor upgrade work will occur at RAAF Darwin (up to about $1 million)," he said, adding that the work was in the detailed planning stage, and construction was expected to begin in 2017. Air Vice-Marshal Osley said Tindal was a key base for the F-35A, just as it has been for the F/A-18A/B Hornet. The RAAF expected that the ongoing presence of an F-35A fighter squadron at RAAF Tindal from 2022 would "continue to provide a similar financial benefit to that provided by the current F/A-18A/B squadron to the local Katherine community, and to the Northern Territory more broadly", he said.He said the RAAF expected the Number 75 Squadron based at Tindal to have begun the transition from the F/A-18A/B to the F-35A in late 2021. F-18 fighter pilot says Tindal ideal for RAAF trainingThe Flight Officer with Squadron 75, Shannan Murrihy, an F-18 pilot, said he hoped one day to fly the F-35.The airspace over Tindal was ideal for pilot training, the 26-year-old said."We do a lot of air combat manoeuvring, so a lot of aircraft fighting each other in the air and also bombing," he said."We have great airspace here, so we've got the range down south at Delamere."That's a great facility where we can drop high explosive ordinance, and also the airspace is quite large so we can get up to a lot of manoeuvring as well."(ABC)

Trainees at the Command, Control and Communications (C3) School in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) can look forward to more realistic training, thanks to a new suite of simulator training systems, which closely mimics the operational Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) environment and that of a control tower.

These simulators are housed in the new C3 School Simulator Centre (SSC), which was officially commissioned by Chief of Air Force Major-General (MG) Hoo Cher Mou on 22 May. The C3 SSC in the Air Force Training Command provides training for Air Warfare Officer (C3), Air Operations and Systems Expert, and Air Operations Specialist trainees.Trainees used to be trained on an old simulator system that was introduced in the RSAF in 1998. However, due to continuous upgrading in technology and improvements in operational systems, there was a need to upgrade the training simulators as well.

An Air Warfare Officer (C3) trainee practising on a Radar Simulator. The recorded exercise can be downloaded onto the trainee's laptop for review."The RSAF continues to invest in the training of its people," said Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) N. Muralidharan, Commander of C3 School. "As such, with the set-up of the new simulator mimicking the real-ops system as closely as possible, that's going to help the trainees in their seamless transition to the operational units." There are three types of simulators in the C3 SSC.

The 360 Tower Simulator replicates the environment inside a control tower, providing an all-round view of a simulated air base. The trainees are trained to handle aircraft take-offs and landings, circuit operations, including ground and vehicular movements within the air base.The 180 Tower Simulator replicates the capabilities of the 360 Tower Simulator, but with a reduced field-of-view of 180-degrees.The RADAR simulator facilitates training in both Air Traffic Control and Air Defence functions, such as airspace management and intercept control.

To enhance training, instructors have generated demo clips, using the new simulator systems for different scenarios and profiles that the trainees will handle during their course. Trainees can download them onto their laptops to learn at their own pace. The system allows for video recording of their practical exercise to enhance the quality of debrief.Said Officer Cadet (OCT) Jasper Lim, who is among the first batch of trainees to use the new simulator system: "The learning curve has been steep, but the simulator and demo clips library serve as very good guides for us. "I can also share my downloaded video recordings with my course mates (using the equipped laptop), and discuss how to conduct safe operations and find solutions for situations that we couldn't handle during the exercise."

27 Mei 2014

A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion and Navy ship HMAS Toowoomba (photo : Reuters)The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has confirmed plans to transform all of its existing fleet of naval vessels and aircraft into bio-fuel capable by 2020.The decision to power the naval fleet by alternative fuels is in line with the US Navy's plans to convert its own fleet using at least a 50-50 fuel blend.Australia has been offered access to the alternative fuel technology, which is currently being developed by the US military.Furthermore, the change would support RAN's work with the US Navy on joint operations and would see US warships and aircraft visit Australian bases more frequently.RAN is currently planning to make about 50 vessels and aircraft compatible with alternative fuels."As the industry becomes established and alternative fuel costs approach parity, the RAN will seek to use blended alternative fuels."Additionally, RAN is likely to send a bio-fuel powered frigate and helicopter to participate in the US Navy's 'Great Green Fleet' demonstration.RAN rear admiral Tim Barrett was quoted by The Australian as saying: "If the US is going to do it, and if its fleet will operate with mixes of fuel, then we are going to need to be able to do the same thing."We take fuel from them when we are operating at sea with their fleet and they take fuel from us."Noting Australia's current potential to develop bio-fuels as 'embryonic', RAN said: "As the industry becomes established and alternative fuel costs approach parity, the RAN will seek to use blended alternative fuels."(Naval Technology)

Sea Ceptor is a vertical launched air defence weapon systems with range in excess of 25 km (image : MBDA)The New Zealand Ministry of Defence signed a contract on 21st May with MBDA for the provision of Sea Ceptor for the Local Area Air Defence element of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s ANZAC Frigate Systems Upgrade (FSU) project. This contract confirms the selection of the system by the RNZN for its ANZAC frigates that was announced in October 2013.Steve Wadey, MBDA UK Managing Director and Group Executive Director Technical, said: “I am delighted that New Zealand has confirmed its selection of Sea Ceptor for the ANZAC FSU project. This first success in the global market outside the United Kingdom for Sea Ceptor is due not only to its advanced operational and through-life cost advantages, but also to the invaluable support provided by the UK Government and the Royal Navy during discussions with the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. Cooperation between the Governments and the Navies of the United Kingdom and New Zealand will continue to be important to delivering an excellent Sea Ceptor capability throughout the life of the project.”(MBDA)

Some of the RMAF radars that more than 15 years old will be upgraded its technology (photo : Selex)KUANTAN (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has to expedite upgrading the national defence radar system as some of the radars are more than 15 years old.RMAF chief General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud said the matter had been discussed with the government."If everything goes well, RMAF will enhance the existing radar system and hope the matter can be considered."RMAF is also studying the need to upgrade the airspace detecting system, which is also a priority, apart from the national defence radar system," he said at a media conference in conjunction with the Defence Ministry and RMAF Media Day at the Kuantan Airbase today.Rodzali said the country's defence, as well as its military capability, depended on its strength to defend its air space, apart from launching attacks within a short period.Earlier, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the country's radar system and national defence should be re-evaluated being that the government had exposed its military capability and assets during the search and rescue mission for MH370.On the RMAF's 56th anniversary celebration on Sunday, Rodzali said the theme, 'Air Power, National Power', took into account the interest and capability of air defence in safeguarding the country's sovereignty.(Bernama)